Los Angeles daily herald., 1887-12-24
LABOR TROUBL ES.
Strike of the Employees of
the Reading Road.
COAL TRAFFIC PARALYZED.
The Outbreak Caused by the EN-
plOyme mt Of NOn.Union
LabOrers.

PHILADELPHIA, December 23.-Over
one thousand men employed by the
Philadelphia and Reading Railroad
Company on their lines running from
Westfalls to the Port Richmond coal
wharves, either as trainmen, coal
handlers or freight handlers, quit
work this afternoon at 4:3O. This ac-
ii IN was caused by the introduction of
a train crew of Ave non-union men to
do work upon which union men
have been employed, but who have
been discharged. This movement
will be communicated to all the en-
ployes Of the road, and O general
strike on all the lines of the com pany
may be the result.
THE TROUBLE ORIGINATED
Yesterday when a crew of freight
handlers engaged in shi ting carr
loaded with -four into pier controlled
by the firm OF Charles NJ. Taylor'r
sons refused to deliver any more
freight to the firm unless the nom
union laborers employed in handling
freight were discharged. Superin,end-
ant Sweigard issued an order dis
charg' ng tn, crew who refused to
handle the fire. ght, and threatening the
same punishment to other crews who
followed the precedent. All of
the remaining force, which
consisted of four crews, refused
to obey the order and were discharged.
The news of the discharge quickly
spread, and this afternoon, when q
crew Of non-union men was put to
work every other employe struck.
A large police force is on hand to
protect the company's property.
LEGAL PROCEEDINGS.
Counsel for Coke Bros. & Co. to-day
asked judicial interference in the coal
miners strike, under a petition pre-
-ented in the United States Circuit
Court. The specific instance made is
that the complainants had contract
with the Reading Coal and Iron Com
pany for u large amount of coal, de-
liverahle free at Elizahethport. The
compliments wish it loaded on
one of their large barges. but
the Reading Company, unable
to do SO. offered instead to deliver it
in Reading by boat without charge
for freight. Petitioners allege that a
refusal to load is due to an illegal
conspiracy between certain Reading
employees and the striking Luzerne
county miners, and is done to hinder
the petitioners business because they
have refused to accede to the striking
miners demands. An order was
asked for loading coal upon the
grounds that the petitioners need
prompt relief before their barge is
boycotted away from Eliza bethport.
THE PETITION DENIED.
Judge Butler refused the request.
He said that the property OF the
Reading Company will within two
days pass out of the hands OF the re-
ceiver, and also that petitioners have
Il remedy by suit at law for any dam
ages they may sustain at the hands
of the receiver.
WHAT THE COMPANY SAYS.
At the office of the Reading Com
pany it is stated that the clear duty OF
the company az a common carrier is
to deliver merchandise to whomsoever
it is consigned without regard to any
question AS to who has been con-
-ignee or his employees. This made it
necessary for the company to order
that the c ,rs be moved in Port Rich
mond, and if the men refused to dis
charge them. The same was the true
trouble at EIizahethport with Case d
Co.'S coal barges.
MEETING OF THE STRIKERS.
Representatives Of the five assem-
blies Of r aiding employees, who have
formed national district assembly OF
Knights OF Labor, met tonight and
called a general convention for to-
morrow afternoon. 1t il asserted to-
night that word has been passed along
the entire Read'ng system, and that
the so 900 or 10000 men in the en-
ploy Of the company will quit work
Tomorrow.